Brighton Rock (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1982 in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada |
| Founder | Greg Fraser, Stevie Skreebs, Gerry McGhee, Martin Victor, Mark Cavarzan |
| Defunct | 1992; reunited 2001 |
| Headquarters | Niagara Falls , Canada |
Area served | Canada, United Kingdom |
| Products | Studio albums, live albums, compilations, singles |
| Website | www |
Brighton Rock was a Canadian hard rock group that produced three studio albums throughout the 1980s and 1990s. After disbanding in 1991, they reunited a decade later in 2001 and issued a live recording in 2002.
History
Originating in 1982 from Niagara Falls, Ontario, the band was founded by guitarist Greg Fraser and bassist Stevie Skreebs, alongside vocalist Gerry McGhee, keyboardist Martin Victor, and drummer Mark Cavarzan. Initially called Heart Attack, they adopted the name Brighton Rock following the inclusion of their track "Breakin' Down The Barricade" on CILQ's 1984 Q107 Homegrown compilation. Their debut EP, titled Brighton Rock, was released in 1985.
After signing with WEA, their first full-length album Young, Wild and Free came out in 1986, produced by Michael Wagener with Jack Richardson overseeing pre-production. By this point, Martin Victor had departed and was succeeded by Johnny Rogers on keyboards. The album featured Canadian charting singles such as "We Came to Rock" and "Can't Wait for the Night," reached number 82 nationally, and earned gold certification in 1989.
Their follow-up album, Take a Deep Breath (1988), produced solely by Jack Richardson, marked their peak commercial success. It climbed to number 22 on Canadian charts and placed eleventh among the Top 50 Cancon Albums of 1989. Singles including "One More Try" performed strongly on the charts, and the band embarked on their inaugural UK tour.
While working on their subsequent album, Brighton Rock opted to remove keyboards from their sound to better align with the heavier rock style gaining popularity through acts like Guns N' Roses. This shift led to Johnny Rogers leaving the lineup and being replaced on tour by guitarist Greg Bioleau.
At the Juno Awards of 1990, Brighton Rock received a nomination for Most Promising Group of the Year.
In 1991, they released Love Machine, which failed to chart but featured the single "Hollywood Shuffle," which attained number six on the Cancon: To Watch chart. Following an Ontario tour supporting this release, the band dissolved due to exhaustion from relentless touring schedules and difficulties breaking into the American market. McGhee relocated to Los Angeles while Fraser joined Helix. The album Love Machine was later nominated for Hard Rock Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 1992.
The band reunited in 2001 for a tour and followed up with a live album titled A Room for Five Live in 2002. A compilation album named The Essentials was issued in 2006. In 2007, Fraser and Skreebs launched a new project called Fraze Gang, releasing an album in 2008. Although an EP named Don't Call Us was announced for Brighton Rock in 2009, it ultimately never came to fruition.
Brighton Rock came together again on October 30, 2008, performing at a benefit event held at Toronto's Phoenix Concert Theatre. They appeared at Firefest X Festival in England in 2013 and contributed a cover of Kiss's "Creatures of the Night" for a cancer care tribute compilation. Since then, they have occasionally performed live annually, including an appearance at the 2019 Monsters of Rock Cruise in Jamaica. That same year featured the release of their new track "End of Time."
On August 25, 2020, lead singer Gerry McGhee succumbed to cancer. Later that year, Greg Fraser recorded a studio album with his new band Storm Force.
Discography
Studio Albums
- Young, Wild and Free (1986), WEA Records
- Take a Deep Breath (1988), WEA Records
- Love Machine (1991), WEA Records
- A Room for Five Live (2002), Z Records
- The Essentials (2006, compilation), Warner Music Group
Extended Plays
- Brighton Rock (1985), Flying Fist Records
- Hangin' High & Dry (1988), WEA Records
Singles
- "Breakin' Down The Barricade" (1984, under the name Heart Attack)
- "Can't Wait For The Night" (1986)
- "Change Of Heart" (1986)
- "We Came To Rock" / "Young, Wild And Free" (1987)
- "One More Try" / "Shootin' For Love" (1988)
- "Hangin' High & Dry" (1988)
- "Unleash The Rage" (1989)
- "Can't Stop the Earth from Shaking" (1989)
- "Hollywood Shuffle" (1991)
- "Creatures of the Night" (2013)
- "Shootin' For Love" (2014, reissued)
- "End of Time" (2019)
Compilation Appearances
- Q-107 Homegrown Volume Six (1984, as Heart Attack), RCA Records
- Be Naughty Be Hair Metal (2010), Rhino Entertainment
- A World With Heroes (A Kiss Tribute For Cancer Care) (2013), MSPVS.org
Personnel
Past Members
- Greg "Fraze" Fraser – guitar (1982–1992, 2001–2020)
- Steve "Stevie" Skreebs – bass guitar (1982–1992, 2001–2020)
- Johnny Rogers – keyboards, piano, guitar (1985–1991, 2001–2020)
- Mark Cavarzan – drums, percussion (1982–1992, 2001–2020)
- Gerry McGhee – lead vocals (1982–1992, 2001–2020; deceased 2020)
- Martin Victor – keyboards (1982–1985)
Former Touring Musicians
- Greg Boileau – guitar, keyboards (1991–1992)
- Derek McGowan – guitar (2002)
Timeline